Screening for advanced steatotic liver disease

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Public Health
• Screening Program Evaluation

Background:

• Steatotic liver disease (SLD) can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer, often asymptomatically.
• Early detection via screening offers potential to prevent severe outcomes if linked to interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of screening for advanced SLD using established criteria.
• To propose additional criteria for contemporary screening challenges.

Main Methods:

• Review of Wilson and Jungner criteria for screening feasibility.
• Assessment of presymptomatic stage, diagnostics, cost-effectiveness, and treatment availability.
• Consideration of harms versus benefits and equitable access.

Main Results:

• Screening feasibility hinges on effective interventions and balancing harms/benefits.
• Current long-term benefits for reducing morbidity/mortality are unclear.
• Need for strategies to minimize psychosocial harm and ensure equitable access.

Conclusions:

• Screening for advanced SLD is potentially feasible but requires robust intervention strategies.
• Further large-scale randomized trials with long-term follow-up are essential.
• Addressing equitable access and psychosocial harm is critical for successful screening programs.